Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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fairly giving way under tho mental strain to
which he ht s been subjected, and the bold, bad
wife who had dismissed the quests with courtly
grace, sinking at hie feet...It is a picture of
absolute despair, that almost moves to pity for
the blood-stained actors in it.
(The Era)
The Stage adds to this the details of Macbeth's falling
againct the wall QL he tried to leave the hall, and his wife's
frlling ;.t his feet, "sobbing, catching at his gsirment".
Previous tableaux had suggested one prrtner or the other in
better spirits* now both were equally despondent.
The Harvard prompt copy divides the acts of the play
according to season: a cycle completes itself by the end of
the third ret, and a la^se of years divides it from the
fourth, y/here r note suggests "Change all Beard s"« Act Five
ic surrrncr and Act Six autumn, whilct the last scene of rill
takes place "t sunset, Irving's fourth act consists of the
original Act Pour's first scenes (the witchos); his fifth act
uses Act Pour, Scene Three and Act Five, Scene One; the sixth
has the econd, third, fourth and fifth scenes of the play's
final act.
Irving's fourth net was set in a cavern, where Kccote
r^p cared, to conn one"! the vitcher, onins, equipped with an
electricali/-lit head. ress. The Era compared the effects to
those of the Brocken scene in Faust t
The Ti-^urc of Macbeth on a rocky eminence
r.it.mds hilc the hell broth storms,
and the spectres rise, there is hoard in
tuneful chorus the witches* chant MB?.ncI:
cjnirits and .iiite", while letter, the ocerio
is changing to a Scotch lake, beneath a
stormy ^.L-y, the cta^e io filled .vitii uecate's
hoot v/ho, vrvin," their rrr.r;, brcul; Torth
\vith the beautifully melodic chorus, "Come
av/ay", and bring down the curtains...
rho St^ce C"vc ace^crintion \vhich odc'n some detrils - the
cauldron was cot in a rock, Hecate's ho. d- ress ton!: the form
of a ctar, and the ei ; ht icings were seen "ac . rl-rin^ in a
st -an- cloud-":
The second tableaux it lierrlccd. by tho voice
of \ dtciios ninring, and as the ccene is disclosed,
v;e find whrt appear to be h.uidreds of
^r v-'.'r.-'-^ed c-iirits .,an'.'Crin.r; about v/ith uplifted
arms in a oort of valley, vhile fcr above